The Pursuit of Scrappiness

Rytis Lauris is Co-founder and CEO of Omnisend - an ecommerce-tailored email & SMS marketing automation platform . Having established several companies before, Rytis and his team have bootstrapped Omnisend to a significant player in the highly competitive MarTech space and is considered one of Lithuania's unofficial unicorns or soonicorns.In this episode we talk about:- Omnisend, e-mail marketing and MarTech- Actionable insights into sales, pricing, product development for B2B SAAS- If email marketing is still alive- The role of AI in MarTech and impact of the pandemic on ecommerce- Pros and cons of bootstrapping The topics covered in this episode with Timestamps:01:40 - Introduction and the origins of Omnisend05:30 - Standing out in the overcrowded MarTech space08:20 - Product driven approach to company strategy and sales11:00 - A great, practical example to use with sales teams11:45 - Defining the ideal customer through company growth cycles14:20 - Pricing your product17:15 - How to create a website that sells & role of content in marketing22:00 - Most common mistakes and low hanging fruits25:10 - Is email marketing dead?28:50 - What other channels should E-commerce businesses use?30:40 - The role of AI in MarTech33:45 - The effect of the pandemic & post-pandemic on E-commerce36:00 - Pros and cons of bootstrapping Find out over 60 other full length podcast episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/ Support for this episode comes from Nexpay > https://paynexpay.com/===See the video content exclusively on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/ Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA Support the show

Janis Sarts is the Director at NATO Strategic Communications Center of Excellence. An outspoken military expert, previously also state secretary of Latvian Ministry of Defense, Janis brings a clear, articulated and convincing message about the regional security situation as of today.In this episode we talk:The paradox of increased Baltic security amid deteriorating global securityThe impact of Finland and Sweden joining NATOCybersecurity risks and how companies should treat themOutlook for the war and endgame of involved partiesThe episode was recorded on April 29, 2022===The topics covered in this episode with Timestamps:01:00 - The paradox of Baltic security situation in global context03:10 - How Sweden and Finland joining NATO would affect Baltic region security06:15 - Dispelling the myth of NATO expansion07:40 - NATO plans for defending the Baltic States09:30 - Cybersecurity threats and how should companies treat this risk11:00 - Baltics has been under a cyber attack for for more than a month14:45 - Unity of NATO and ability of rogue nations to block Article 515:50 - Russia can resort to nuclear weapons19:25 - What increased weapons supplies mean for the conflict22:10 - What does victory look like for Ukraine and for Russia24:40 - What would a ceasefire mean in the mid/long term for European security Support Ukraine via https://spendwithukraine.com/Support for this episode comes from Nexpay > https://paynexpay.com/Find out over 50 other full length podcast episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/ ===See the videos from interviews on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/ Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA Support the show

Triin Hertmann is the Founder of Grünfin - Invest your money where your values are. Triin is also an alumnus of Skype and Wise and is very active in angel investments being one of the few female angel investors in the region. In this episode we talk about:- Sustainable investing and the Grünfin product- Challenges in building a Fintech app- Impact of unicorn experience with Wise and Skype- Spotting a future unicorn founder/company The topics covered in this episode with Timestamps02:05  - Sustainable investing and the origins of Grünfin04:00  - State of overall sustainability thinking adoption05:30 - What constitutes a sustainable investment07:55 - The returns of sustainable investing14:00 - Challenges in building a fintech app14:55- In-house lawyer vs law firms for license acquisition19:55 - The product vision and pivots21:45 - Web vs mobile for investment platform26:05 - Acquiring customers for a Fintech product27:25 - What it takes to work in sustainability29:35  - The impact of Skype & Wise on Triin as a founder and person31:45 - How to spot a unicorn company in early stages35:35 - Scrappy stories from early days of Wise37:30 - Quote of the month by Triin on scaling38:45 - Combining running a startup and angel investingFind out over 50 other full length podcast episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/ Support for this episode comes from Nexpay > https://paynexpay.com/===See the video content exclusively on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/ Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA Support the show

Stavros  Papadopoulos is the Co-Founder and Managing Director of Lendis, a German startup that offers a  SaaS solution for companies such as BCG, Volkswagen, N26 to set up and manage their employees’ equipment and software in the hybrid working world. They have raised over $90M USD in debt and equity to date.In this episode we talk about the unique value Lendis offers to small and large companies, the rising of HR-Tech, renting vs owning culture as well as pros and cons of establishing a startup in Berlin.The topics covered in this episode with Timestamps01:55 - Why companies don’t want to manage their tech resources04:45 - Benefits of renting vs buying the office equipment07:30 - Convenience more important than cash-flow09:00 - Decrease time to productivity for new employees10:20 - Growth plans with the money that company has raised13:50 - Raising debt used to be a challenge 14:55 - Hybrid work opportunities and challenges16:55 - Build scorecards for hiring and how does Hire Slow work in a fast paced job market18:50 - Do fancy perks play a significant role in hiring?20:50 - 2 trends on  the future of work 27:30 - Criteria for businesses can become Lendis clients30:05 - Debt investment accelerating worldwide, supply almost limited 32:10 - HR tech explained 35:55 - Advantages of Berlin startup ecosystem 38:45 - Practical experience of setting up a business in Germany and need for longer runways due to bureaucracy Find out over 50 other full length podcast episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/ Support for this episode comes from Nexpay > https://paynexpay.com/===See the video content exclusively on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/ Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness Support the show

Vadim Rogovskiy is the CEO & Co-founder of Ukrainian startup 3DLOOK. Upon the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Vadim’s team has partially relocated to Western Ukraine, Poland and the US and continues to operate close to pre-war operational level.In this episode we talk:3DLOOK & its business operations before the warTeam response to crisisWhat happens to contracts during warCrisis management tips for CEOsWar impact on clients, partners and investorsThe outlook for Ukrainian startupsThe episode was recorded on April 26, 2022The topics covered in this episode with Timestamps[01:30] - Vadim's business before and during the war[06:10] - Not believing the war will actually start, but getting ready nevertheless[09:30] - Team's readiness to evacuate together with the company[11:55] - How all this affected productivity of the team[14:00] - Was everyone able to leave the country?[17:15] - What happens to contracts during war?[19:00] - Key crisis management tips for CEOs[22:40] - Should companies have an emergency plan to evacuate?[29:00] - Impact of the war in eyes of Western clients, partners, investors[31:15] - The future for company future in Ukraine[34:15] - How startups help the war effort and how foreigners can help Ukrainian startups[37:30] - Vadim's outlook on how/when this endsTo reach out to Vadim use: Email: vadim@3dlook.meLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vadim-rogovskiy Support Ukraine via https://spendwithukraine.com/  Support for this episode comes from Nexpay > https://paynexpay.com/Watch full-length conversation on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA Find out over 50 other full length podcast episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/ ===See the videos from interviews on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/ Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness  Support the show

This episode is brought to you in cooperation with TechChillJoin us in Riga on April 27-29, 2022100+ speakers (including the guest of this episode)200 top US and European investors300 StartupsListen to the episode intro to find a special PROMO CODE for Pursuit of Scrappiness listeners and get 20% OFF Get your pass NOW on https://techchill.co/ ===Michael Haase is the Founder and CEO of Plantjammer - Learn new easy dishes and fit them to individual health goals, availability and taste. With a background from McKinsey and Merill Lynch, Michael is on a mission to help you decrease food waste while unplugging and having fun cooking.In this episode we talk about Plant Jammer and its mission to decrease food waste. We also cover the hottest trends in foodtech and using cooking to unplug and recharge. Finally we discuss breaking user habits, scaling of sustainability culture and user acquisition.The topics covered in this episode with Timestamps[03:00] - HOW PLANT JAMMER HELPS PEOPLE COOK AND DECREASE FOOD WASTE[06:30] - ON HOTTEST TRENDS IN FOOD TECH[09:40] - BUILDING A BUSINESS MODEL ON BIG DATA[13:10] - APPLYING AI TO CREATE THE PLANT JAMMER RECIPE GENERATOR[17:20] - BREAKING USER HABITS AND SCALING ACROSS COUNTRIES[26:45] - ON USER ACQUISITION[33:15] - ON THE VALUE OF COOKING FOR CREATIVITY AND HEALTHCheck out Plant Jammer here To reach out to Michael use: Email: michael@plantjammer.comLinkedin: Linkedin Find out more on https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/ Support for this episode comes from Nexpay > https://paynexpay.com/===See the videos from interviews on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/ Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA Support the show

This episode is brought to you in cooperation with TechChillJoin us in Riga on April 27-29, 2022100+ speakers (including the guest of this episode)200 top US and European investors300 StartupsListen to the episode intro to find a special PROMO CODE for Pursuit of Scrappiness listeners and get 20% OFF Get your pass NOW on https://techchill.co/ ===Yoram Wijngaarde is the Founder and CEO of Dealroom - Global data platform for intelligence on startups, innovation, high-growth companies, ecosystems and investment strategies. With a prior career in investment banking, Yoram has in-depth knowledge of the financial markets.In this episode we talk about Dealroom, its origins and business model as well as building a data intelligence company as such. We also discuss what data points investors mostly care about and which industries are currently hottest. Finally we talk about macro view on VC in Europe as well as the state of global funding markets.The topics covered in this episode with Timestamps[02:30] - HOW DEALROOM AGGREGATES STARTUP DATA[08:40] - ON BUILDING A DATA INTELLIGENCE COMPANY[12:05] - HOW DEALROOM CAN BE USED BY STARTUPS[14:30]- ON WHAT DATA INVESTORS LOOK FOR IN STARTUPS[21:15] - ON HOTTEST INDUSTRIES IN STARTUPLAND[24:40] - ON THE BALTIC&NORDIC REGION THROUGH THE EYES OF DEALROOM[27:30] - ON THE FUTURE AVAILABILITY OF STARTUP FUNDING[30:10] - YORAM'S EXPERIENCE WORKING AT LEHMAN BROTHERS DURING FINANCIAL CRISIS[34:45] - ON THE FUTURE OF DEALROOM To reach out to Yoram use: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yoramdw/ Find out more on https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/ Support for this episode comes from Nexpay > https://paynexpay.com/===See the videos from interviews on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/ Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA Support the show

This episode is brought to you in cooperation with TechChillJoin us in Riga on April 27-29, 2022100+ speakers (including the guest of this episode)200 top US and European investors300 StartupsListen to the episode intro to find a special PROMO CODE for Pursuit of Scrappiness listeners and get 20% OFF Get your pass NOW on https://techchill.co/ ===Rytis Vitkauskas is a Partner at the global VC powerhouse Lightspeed Ventures. Holding an MBA from Harvard Business School, Rytis has also founded and exited startups as well as made tech investments for more than 10 years.In this episode we talk about Rytis’s journey to become a VC with Lightspeed, and getting an MBA from Harvard. We also discuss the strategy of Lightspeed and category defining companies. Finally, we compare how Baltic startups match up on the European level and talk about the role of the local VC.The topics covered in this episode with Timestamps[02:40] - INTRODUCTION AND RYTIS’S JOURNEY TO VC AND LIGHTSPEED[06:00] - ON BALTIC ECOSYSTEM NOW AND 10-15 YEARS AGO[11:15] - ON THE HBS EXPERIENCE AND ROI FROM TOP EDUCATION[20:00] - ON LIGHTSPEED STRATEGY IN EUROPE AND THE BALTICS[23:50] - ON CATEGORY DEFINING COMPANIES[36:00] - HOW BALTIC COMPANIES MATCH UP WITH WESTERN EUROPEANS[44:30] - ON EXPECTATIONS FROM LOCAL BALTIC VCs  To reach out to Rytis use email: rytis@lsvp.com Find out more on https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/ Support for this episode comes from Nexpay > https://paynexpay.com/===See the videos from interviews on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/ Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA  Support the show

David Holahan is a former US Defense Attache to Latvia. He is also a retired US Marine Lt. Col. a 21-year veteran of the US Marine Corps. Having served in conflicts in Iraq and Somalia.David spent over 10 years living in Baltics which gives him a unique viewpoint on the defense and security matters of our region both from local as well as US policy maker and NATO perspective.This episode is first in a series of special episodes on how the Russian invasion of Ukraine affects us in Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia. It was recorded on March 29 and we bring you full-length unedited conversation. NEW! Watch full-length video conversation on YouTube > https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rsoM_RGae2E Remember to support Ukraine > https://war.ukraine.ua/  The topics covered in this episode with Timestamps[01:45] - David’s background in military and US Diplomatic Service[07:30] - Was Russia’s invasion a surprise[10:50] - NATO was designed to keep the Germans down and the Russians out[14:30] - Russia hate when the Baltics flip them off [19:30] - What are the implications for the the Baltics[20:20] - The Baltics were always going to be next[26:00] - The Baltic countries are not working closely enough together on their defense[33:00] - How might the current war in Ukraine end?[36:10] - The nuke is a huge bluff [39:10] - The battlefield is unpredictable, Russian army can disintegrate[40:15] - Suggestions from David’s military experience on how to deal with stress NEW! Watch this conversation in full-length on YouTube >  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA Listen to our previous episode with David > https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/episodes/episode-10-interview-david-holahan Find out over 50 other full length podcast episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/ Support for this episode comes from Nexpay > https://paynexpay.com/===Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/ Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness Support the show

This episode is brought to you in cooperation with TechChillJoin us in Riga on April 27-29, 2022100+ speakers (including the guest of this episode)200 top US and European investors300 StartupsListen to the episode intro to find a special PROMO CODE for Pursuit of Scrappiness listeners and get 20% OFF Get your pass NOW on https://techchill.co/ =====Hannes Sapiens Sjoblad is the managing director of DSruptive - a deep tech company specialized in implantable microelectronics. With its revolutionary BeUno app, DSruptive is looking to make implantable health tracking devices ubiquitous.In this episode we talk about the product of DSruptive and implantable health tracking as well as challenges in developing a deep tech product. We also discuss human augmentation technologies and hot healthtech industry trends. Finally we talk about community building through the Epicenter Stockholm experience lens.The topics covered in this episode with Timestamps[02:40] - ON DSRUPTIVE AND HEALTH TRACKINGCombining wearables with human bodyRice grain sized implants for body temperature trackingAll technology is controversialChoosing medicine as the primary application for the techEvolving the techPricing of a complex medtech productAlternative applications[14:40] - ON (UN)EXPECTED CHALLENGES IN THE STARTUP JOURNEYEverything takes longer, alwaysClinical study going faster than plannedInnovation vs. regulation[19:00] - ON HUMAN AUGMENTATION TECHNOLOGIESEnhancing human body capabilitiesEthics and how protected are we as customersThe problem with risk-aversenessLongevityProactionary principleCompeting with China with EU regulatory limitationsGood/evil applications for technology throughout history[28:00] - ON HOT TRENDS IN HEALTHTECH INDUSTRYRemote monitoringPersonalization of medicinePreventive medicineLongevity[32:50] - ON COMMUNITY BUILDING AND EPICENTER STOCKHOLMTech conference experience all year roundWhat does chief disruption officer meanCatching the wave of innovation at the right timeCommunity with strong value prop for membersAllowing talent to flourishAdapting to hybrid work world[42:24] - HEALTHY LIFESTYLE TIPS FROM BIOHACKING EXPERIENCE To reach out to Hannes use: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hannessapiens/ Find out more on https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/ Support for this episode comes from Nexpay > https://paynexpay.com/===See the video content exclusively on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/ Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness Support the show